September 30, 2016

“How do you like your new house?!” the TV host exclaims. You’ve seem this moment a hundred times before. This is when the family is supposed to jump for joy at their newly renovated house. However, their faces are less happy and more…puzzled. The roof isn’t quite done, in that it’s missing over parts of the house. There’s not going to be a dramatic entrance into the interior because there is no front door. Whenever you brush your teeth and forget to floss, this is basically what you are doing with your teeth. You are leaving a large part of the job undone. The Tappan dentist wants you to know why flossing is just as important as brushing.

Can’t I Just Brush?

When it comes to the health of your teeth, most of the important care is done at home. Consistent brushing and flossing day after day, night after night, is what is going to assure that you have a healthy smile for years to come. Brushing is an essential part of this home routine, but it must be paired with flossing. Whenever you do not floss your teeth, you are missing about 40% of your teeth’s surfaces. This means plaque and bacteria will continue to build up, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Flossing is especially necessary because it can clean your teeth near the gum line in a way that your brush can’t. Even the tiniest bristles can’t reach those small surfaces. Flossing is important when it comes to the prevention of gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss for patients over 35.

Flossing Tips

You should floss whenever you brush your teeth, so that means at least twice a day. It doesn’t matter which order you do them in, just as long as you do both. Here are a few flossing basics:

Use about 12-18 inches of floss so you can wrap the ends around your pointer-fingers and create a slight amount of tension

Be sure to floss between every tooth, and even behind the back teeth

Be gentle, it shouldn’t require too much force to move the floss between your teeth

People who floss regularly have noticeably healthier gums and teeth, and this means fewer trips to the dentist. However…

You Didn’t Forget About Us, Did You?

Regular check-ups with us are still an important part of your oral health. Brushing and flossing, as effective as they are, simply cannot reach all of the tiny crevices of your teeth. This mostly concerns the biting services on your back teeth, which are too small for brushes and cannot be reached by floss. Our professional tools and expert eyes can clean these hard to reach places and leave you in good shape in between visits. Between brushing, flossing, and check-ups, you will be able to prevent many dental issues before they even occur. Flossing is just as important as brushing when it comes to keeping you smiling. If you have any questions about flossing, feel free to call us with any of your questions.